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New River Gorge National River, West Virginia (View Photos):

White-water thrill seekers may be familiar with the New River in West Virginia. Floating the New River on a white water rafting expedition is the dream of many river runners. The New River Gorge National River protects 53 miles of this river, along with the forests, cliffs, and historical remains that make this one of the finest scenic recreation areas in the East. This free-flowing whitewater corridor entices boaters with everything from Class I to Class V rapids.

Besides the New River, this part of West Virginia also features exceptional river scenery at Gauley River National Recreation Area and Bluestone National Scenic River. Together, the New, Gauley, and Bluestone Rivers comprise a huge watershed that reaches from the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina to southern West Virginia, passing through various farm lands in the southern part of Virginia along the way.

The name New River may be a misnomer since scientists have reason to believe that this river is one of the oldest in North America. Over millions of years of erosion, it has sliced a gorge out of the Appalachian Plateau where the cliffs of this gorge average 1,000 feet in depth. The enormous cliffs are composed of quartzite conglomeratic sandstone and are about 300 million years old.

From the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, a short walk down a series of wooden steps leads to wide open views of the gorge. Most notably, there is a memorable view of the New River Gorge Bridge which spans the canyon. It is the second highest bridge in the U.S. and the second largest single span steel arch bridge in the world.

The park is a hiker's paradise with over 25 trails of various lengths, including many which terminate with spectacular panoramic views of the forested gorge and its rugged cliffs. Located close to the southern end of the park is Sandstone Falls, an awesome chain of cascades that extends across the width of the New River. Fishing is very popular here, as it is elsewhere throughout the gorge.

If you wish to visit all or most of the major attractions in New River Gorge, be prepared to do a lot of driving on mountain roads. Although the park appears small on a map, it takes a lot of time to get from one point to the other, especially if you want to travel from one side of the river to the other, a process that often entails driving many miles to cross a bridge.

Recommended Day Hikes:
Endless Wall Trail
Round Trip Length: 1.5 miles one-way, 3.0 miles (in and out)
Trailhead location: From U.S. route 19, turn off onto the Lansing-Edmond Road which is located just north of the Canyon Rim Visitor Center. Drive 1.3 miles on the Lansing-Edmond Road to a marked trailhead parking area on the right. This parking area is a bit difficult to spot, so keep a careful watch for it as you're driving.
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Attractions: This trail offers excellent views of the New River and its cliffs, and forests, especially from Diamond Point overlook. Rather surprisingly, you will likely encounter few people on this trail. It also provides access to some first rate rock climbing.

Long Point Trail
Round Trip Length: 1.6 miles one-way, 3.2 miles (in and out)
Trailhead location: From Fayetteville, WV, follow route 16 south until you reach Gatewood Road. Turn left onto Gatewood Road and drive for 1.9 miles until you reach Newton Road. Turn left onto Newton Road where parking is 50 yards ahead on the left.
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Attractions: The last part of this hike is where the payoff kicks in. You reach a long rocky outcropping with clear, 360 degree views of the gorge, including a spectacular frontal view of the New River Gorge Bridge. Superb vistas of forested cliffs and the river below are abundant.

Thurmond-Minden Trail
Round Trip Length: 3.4 miles one-way, 6.8 miles (in and out)
Trailhead location: To get to the Thurmond end of the trailhead do the following: From U.S. Rt. 19, take the Glen Jean–Thurmond exit and make a quick left. Drive 0.5 miles to Glen Jean, turn right on State Rt. 25, and follow the road 5.1 miles to the trailhead, located on the left. Keep a close watch for the trailhead, as it is a bit difficult to see from the road.
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Attractions: The grade along this trail is easy and gentle. The path is wide and crosses over five railroad trestles (the trail follows the former route of an abandoned branch of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway which hauled coal from a nearby mine). Along the way, you will pass through pleasant forest scenery and take in views of Thurmond and the New River.

Canyon Rim Visitor Center Boardwalk
Round Trip Length: 1.0 miles
Trailhead location: Canyon Rim Visitor Center (on U.S. route 19 just north of Fayetteville, WV), adjacent to the main parking lot
Level of Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Attractions: This short hike partially descends into the gorge on a wooden boardwalk. The boardwalk leads to two observation decks which offer wide open views of the New River Gorge and the famous gigantic steel bridge that spans across it. It is an excellent introduction to the natural wonders of this park.

Canyon Rim Trail (Grandview)
Round Trip Length: 2.0 miles
Trailhead location: Grandview Visitor Center (from Beckley, follow I-64 for 5 miles and then get off on exit 129B. Drive 6 miles to the Visitor Center. The trailhead begins at an information display board adjacent to the parking lot).
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Attractions: This trail connects several gorge overlooks which include some of the finest scenic views in the park. The trail ends at Turkey Spur, a rugged outcropping with nice panoramic views that requires climbing up 150 steps. Return the same way you came.

Cliffside Trail (Hawks Nest State Park)
Round Trip Length: 1.75 miles one-way
Trailhead location: Upon entering the park, drive to the main parking lot and park your car. Walk over to the Midland Trail Shelter (you will see a number of picnic tables here) and start your hike at the trail marker.
Level of Difficulty: Strenuous
Attractions: This beautiful hike takes place in Hawks Nest State Park, located just north of the New River Gorge National River. Steep pathways and dense forests of hemlock make for a rough hike. The first leg of the hike cuts along the base of some sandstone cliffs where you can inspect the geology of the gorge at close quarters. Skirting past rhododendron shrubs and hemlocks, the trail eventually reaches a developed overlook area with panoramic vistas of the New River Gorge - some of the best in the area.

Recommended Points of Interest:
Sandstone Falls; Brooks Falls; Canyon Rim Visitor Center; Hawks Nest State Park Overlook; Grandview Visitor Center; Pipestem Resort State Park; Gauley River National Recreation Area; Babcock State Park; Glade Creek Area (for wonderful wilderness hiking).

Helpful travel tips and observations
Peak fall foliage occurs in the third week of October. Much of the land within the park boundaries is privately held. It helps to have a good map of the area, since getting to many of the trailheads requires driving through small towns on obscure, poorly marked roads. Good trail maps of the various sections of the gorge can be found from the National Park service web site at this link.

There are no full-service campgrounds within the park, but just outside the park in numerous state parks and other public lands, there are 23 full-service campgrounds. On the second Saturday of October, Bridge Day takes place during which thousands of people gather on the New River Gorge bridge to either view or participate in extreme sports activities.

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